S.Amdt. 2232

SA 2232. Mr. HAWLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in subtitle H of title X, insert
the following:

SEC. 10____. LIMITATION ON MINERAL WITHDRAWALS AFFECTING
CRITICAL MINERALS FOR DEFENSE SUPPLY CHAIN.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Critical mineral.--The term ``critical mineral''has the
meaning given the term in section 7002(a) of the Energy Act
of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(a)).
(2) Withdrawal.--The term ``withdrawal'' has the meaning
given the term in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
(b) Limitation on Mineral Withdrawals.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior may not
make a withdrawal

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of Federal land containing critical minerals, as identified
by the Director of the United States Geological Survey, if
the Secretary of Defense determines that the withdrawal would
result in an adverse effect on the domestic supply of
critical minerals required for the defense supply chain of
the United States.
(2) Determination.--In making a determination under
paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall consider--
(A) the current and projected domestic requirements of
critical minerals for the Armed Forces;
(B) the extent to which a withdrawal would restrict
exploration, development, or production of critical minerals
on Federal land; and
(C) the availability of reliable alternative sources of the
affected critical minerals.
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